Protests Erupt As Trump Recognizes Jerusalem As Israeli Capital

Palestinians took to the streets on Wednesday to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s highly controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the contested city.

People in Gaza City and the city of Rafah chanted “Death to America,” “death to Israel” and “down with Trump.” They burned American and Israeli flags as well as photos of Trump, who alerted world leaders of the decision on Tuesday and formally announced the news Wednesday afternoon.

Palestinian and Islamic groups have called for three days of “popular anger” against the president. Jordanian members of Parliament also staged a protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Amman on Wednesday. In photos posted to social media, protesters in Bethlehem burned photos of Trump in advance of his speech.

The pending relocation marks a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy that is likely to inflame Israeli-Palestinian tensions. It upends America’s nearly 70-year stance of letting the two sides decide Jerusalem’s status among themselves.